


Of Black Chats and Fallen Angels

by Local_emotional_wreck



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst and Hurt/Comfort, But I swear they all get redemption, Character Death, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Maybe - Freeform, Minor Original Character(s), Multi, Non-Graphic Violence, Not Beta Read, Okay just a little class salt, Original Character(s), Plagg is a Little Shit (Miraculous Ladybug), Sexual Assault, Slow Burn, Tikki Is So Done (Miraculous Ladybug), buckle up motherfuckers this is gonna have the most plot holes you've ever seen in a fic, i have no idea what im doing, like 16/17, like.... very slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:22:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28386948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Local_emotional_wreck/pseuds/Local_emotional_wreck
Summary: When Marinette wishes on a shooting star she sees one night, she doesn't think anything of it. And when two seemingly completely different people show up in her life, it's just a coincidence. Right?Chat Noir is everything she needs in a partner; strong, loyal, and trusts her.Adrien Agreste is a nuisance; always bothering her about something and somehow always close by.So what happens when she falls for the wrong one?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Comments: 13
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tikkis gets excited, Marinette is annoyed, and Adrien is a Shy Boi™.

Marinette sat on her balcony, tea in hand, gazing at the starry Parisian sky on a warm Sunday night. Tikki snored quietly on her shoulder, macaroon crumbs on her face. It was one of the few nights she was able to relax-- finally finishing all commissions, designs, and schoolwork-- so she relished the moment, doing everything in her power to make herself comfortable. She was ecstatic that Hawkmoth had finally seemed to loosen up-- the poor girl having been near exhaustion these past few weeks. The heroine wished for help. With constantly Tikki telling her that the black cat miraculous is meant to be by her side, she couldn't help but feel her vigor slowly dissipate with every akuma battle.

(It definitely had nothing to do with the fact that she hadn’t slept properly for weeks)

It didn't seem fair that the start of her high school experience started off with so much stress. At fourteen, the most she should have been worrying about was her designs, boys, and maybe the latest episode of her favorite show-- not the constant weight of the city on her shoulders.

As she gazed dreamily upon the sky, something caught Marinette’s eye-- a shooting star. They were rare sights, and people usually closed their eyes and made wishes, but something about this rare occurrence left her unable to avert her gaze. She felt... connected, in a way. Strange, she knew, but it was the only way she could think to explain. Marinette watched the star fall closer and closer until it was blocked from her view by buildings in the distance. Eventually finishing her tea, she turned in for the night, hoping to get enough rest for school the next day.

That night, Marinette slept peacefully the whole night through.

*********

The next morning at school, Mari made it early (for once), sliding into her usual spot next to Alya and behind Nino. Before class began, however, Ms. Bustier introduces a new student to the class-- Adrien Agreste.

While Adrien introduced himself upfront to the class, Marinette studied him silently. Emerald green eyes, golden blond hair, and a smile that could turn glaciers to steam.

And Marinette hated it.

No matter how hard he attempted to make himself seem obedient and well-mannered, something about him gave the impression that he was hiding something, or that he knew something and wasn't telling anyone. So, naturally, Marinette decided she wanted nothing to do with the new kid (nevermind he was the son of her idol) and felt justified in her decision. Trusting in her gut had never steered her wrong. Plus, how hard could it be to avoid one guy?

As it turned out, avoiding one guy turned out to be near impossible. He was everywhere. Adrien Agreste had managed to worm his way into every single thing Marinette was involved in. He had instantly become best friends with Nino, and by extension Alya, and Marinette couldn’t exactly stop hanging out with her friends. He had joined the art club, was a vocal member of the debate team and student council, he even stopped by the bakery on occasion for God’s sakes. How had Agreste even found her?

The worst part of all of this was that Adrien seemed to... enjoy being around Marinette. Sure, was known to be sociable, but it wasn't like she really hid her dislike for the new kid. He was constantly making jokes, asking for her opinion on things during class, and winking-- _winking_ \-- at her during class when he thought no one was looking.

And yet, despite everything inside of her screaming that something was off, Marinette couldn’t help but find herself somewhat attracted to Adrien.

(There had been multiple times she found herself covering her mouth or turning away with a smile in reaction to his insufferable puns)

Coincidentally, a new hero appeared at around the same time.

Tikki, barely able to contain her excitement (for reasons unknown to Ladybug), told Marinette that this new hero was the help that she had so desperately needed for so long. While she was never one to be picky, the hero couldn’t help but question her kwami’s judgment. Was this really the one meant to fight by her side in every battle?

`

He was reckless and cocky. Not to mention a rebel and incorrigible flirt, but there was a certain sense of intelligence and bravery that Marinette couldn’t ignore. Maybe he was what she needed. The new hero, going by the name Chat Noir, was resourceful and able to listen and follow the plan. Aside from his horrible puns, he was everything she needed. 

Over time, their relationship grew stronger. They were one in battle, and even closer once it was over-- telling each other any and everything that was on their mind. They were as close as two people who didn’t know each other's identities could have been. She couldn’t possibly understand how she survived before him, or how they had gotten so close within the span of just a few months. Still, against her better judgment, she put her faith in him. If Tikki trusted him, it had to be okay. 

*********

While Chat Noir and Ladybug grew closer together, Adrien was on thin ice with Marinette. The more he tried to get close to her, the less tolerant she was of his antics. The last straw was when she caught him putting gum on her seat with Chloe standing over him and laughing. 

“What are you doing Agreste!?” she seethed. 

His head shot up in her direction at the sound of her voice. He looked like a deer in headlights. “I- no, it’s not what you think, I swear. Cause Chloe was- uh. Okay I just- I didn’t think-” 

Oh for the love of God even his excuses were shady. Marinette thought. How was Nino friends with this asshole?

“It’s not what you think Mari,” Nino interjected. “Chloe was a jerk and Adrien tried to help."

Alya tried to help Adrien’s case, “Yeah, he just wanted to get the gum off the seat. No harm done, right?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes at him. “Just get out of my way.” He got up and walked away, still trying to come up with a reason as to why he was bent over her sear with a piece of chewed-up gum. She bent down and got to work, eventually satisfied with the lack of gum in her chair.

Looking over at Adrien, he resembled like a wounded dog, face pink and eyes wide but averted. Maybe she had been too harsh? Whether that was the case or not, before she got the chance to say anything else, Ms. Bustier walked in and began their last class of the day.

*********

It was raining after school. While most other kids had ridden home, Marinette dreaded the walk. At least she could keep Tikki warm in her bag. Besides, this was nothing a warm shower and a cup of tea couldn’t fix. Still, she hated the cold. Maybe calling her parents would be worth it. 

While Marinette stood just inside the school doors trying to decide, she hadn’t noticed Adrien sneak up next to her. 

“H-hey Marinette,” he began. She turned away. “Look, about earlier, I swear I wasn’t--”

“It’s fine Adrien.” She interrupted. Maybe if she forgave him he’d go away. 

Really?” Why was he so excited? They weren’t friends. “Thank you. I know you don’t really care for me but I’d hate for you to think I was responsible for something Chloe did.”

“Yeah of course.” She said giving him a tight smile. Now that she thought about it, Marinette had never taken the time to truly look at him. It was only ever quick glances due to frustration or annoyance. 

Aside from the smile, hair, and eyes, he really did seem to glow. Marinette was nowhere near religious, but his face seemed to shine like angels she had heard about. Something about the way he carried himself was unlike anything she had ever seen.

“Angel.” She muttered.

A confused look took over his heavenly features. “What was that?”

Marinette knew her face had to have looked like a strawberry at that point, but for some reason, she continued to allow words to leave her mouth. “N-nothing. Sorry.”

He gave an unsure smile. “It’s fine.”

An awkward silence fell between them as they watched and listened to the raindrops patter onto the ground. What else were they supposed to say? Marinette wracked her brain for a topic of conversation until Adrien finally broke the silence. 

“Well, my rides here.” He said suddenly, pointing to a sleek black limo. 

Marinette’s eyes widened. “Wha-”

Adrien brought a hand up to the back of his neck. “Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “My family’s pretty well off and I guess this is how they wanted to show it.”

She stood there waiting for him to walk down the steps, not noticing the umbrella he’d had in his hand that whole time. 

“My car is right there, so the rain won't be a huge issue for me.” She looked from his face to his hand, then back. “You could always give it back some other time.”

“Uhh,” She stood there. Was this really the best idea? He had looked so hopeful, but she wasn’t sure yet and she didn’t want to get his hopes up. She needed more time. “No thank you, my parents are picking me up”

His face fell. “Oh, no- yeah of course. That’s fine. See you Monday?”

“See you Monday.” She said. 

Marinette watched as he trudged to his ride. Waving once more before closing the door and driving away. She couldn’t get over how hopeful he look offering her his umbrella. Was it really that serious? What was so special about that umbrella anyway? 

Ugh, why did she even care? She hadn’t wanted anything to do with him a week ago. There was no way a single interaction would change her entire view of him. Right?

She sighed before walking down the steps. This was going to be a long walk home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Tikki seems excited...  
> Also, I wanted to play around with the idea of what might have happened had Marinette rejected the umbrella, so I look forward to seeing how that plays out.  
> Thank you all so much for your support, you honestly have no idea how much every hit, comment, and kudos means to me. I love you all _soooo_ much and I hope you're willing to stick with me on this train wreck


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ladybug is stressed, Paris is in flames, and things get confusing.
> 
> Aka in which there is plot, plot, and more plot. (sorry guys. but maybe a little LadyNoir if you squint.)

Tikki rolled her eyes for what had to be the millionth time that afternoon as Marinette flopped back on her bed. She had spent every moment-- from the moment Adrien drove away to the second she shut her trap door-- ranting about ‘how could he possibly think offering me an umbrella could win me over’ and ‘why was he looking at me with that stupid smile on his face’ and on and on and on. As much as Tikki adored her holder, she could be exhausting with her overthinking and lack of, for lack of a better term, ‘chill’.

“Marinette,” Tikki chided.

Marinette hadn’t heard a thing as she walked over to a project she had started earlier that week. It was white nylon off-the-shoulder number with numerous belts and buttons that shouldn’t have worked as well as they did together, with a hem that stopped mid-thigh. She fussed over the neckline and Tikki worried that she would pick up a needle. Or worse-- decide to change something. 

“Marinette… ” Tikki warned.

Nothing good ever came from a ranting, angry, Marinette; especially when said Marinette decided to start sewing. Tikki had witnessed far too many meltdowns just hours after an angry sewing session and decided it was best (and safest for the sanity of all involved) if working on any project, school, or otherwise was best reserved for a time when her holder was more stable. 

Much to Tikki’s relief, Marinette walked away from the dress, fiddling with the ends of her hair instead. 

“-And don’t even get me started on the way he showed off his stupid limo.” The girl huffed as she ran her fingers through her hair. “I mean who even does that!? Ugh, and the way he-”

“MARINETTE!” Tikki interjected. 

“Huh?” She said as if Tikki calling her name had brought her out of some sort of trance.

“You’ve gotta stop overthinking this,” Tikki sighed. “I know you don’t like him, but isn’t there a possibility that he was just trying to be helpful? People do that type of stuff, you know.”

She shot Tikki an exasperated look. “Then explain the whole gum incident.”

 _How?_ Tikki thought as she brought her tiny hands up to her face. _How can she possibly be the most intelligent while also being the densest holder I’ve had in a millennium?_

Tikki took a deep breath as she prepared to explain the situation for the millionth time. Marinette was going owe her so many cookies later

*********

Marinette was confused as hell, but that was nothing new. What was new was the source of her confusion. Oftentimes, when Marinette had a hunch or a gut feeling, she listened and that was it-- but this was different.

There was something unusual about Adrien Agreste. That was what Marinette knew. She also knew that she should not, and didn’t, trust Adrien Agreste. She knew that she had no real reason not to trust Adrien Agreste, as he had done nothing to her. 

Marinette knew that she was, at the very least, physically attracted to Adrien Agreste. 

Well, she didn’t know it-- not yet at least. And maybe that was why she had been ranting to Tikki for the past three hours-- getting an extensive lecture/explanation in return. Being a teenage superhero who fought evil purple butterflies with a punning leather catboy for a partner, there had to be some shred of normalcy in her life. If obsessing over the minute details of a five-minute interaction with a guy she didn’t like was her normal, then so be it. Besides, it wasn’t like she had anything better to do. 

“Marinette” Tikki sounded like she wanted to drown herself in cookie batter. “I’m going to find something to eat. I’ll get back to you when you’ve calmed down a little”

Or that’s what she thought until something outside her window caught her eye--

An akuma. 

_Damnit._ Marinette knew she wasn’t exactly in the best headspace for fighting, but it wasn’t like she could coordinate certain dates with Hawkmoth. She chuckled aloud as a mental image of her, Chat, and Hawkmoth meeting at a round table popped into her head. 

“Ahem” came a noise from across the room. 

Marinette looked over at Tikki and nodded, transforming. She couldn’t help but wish for the absurd scenario as she swung above the buildings of Paris.

*********

“What’s the damage so far?” Ladybug asked as she landed right in sync on top of a building next to a running Chat Noir.

The past few months Chat Noir had been around, everything felt lighter. While Hawkmoth had most definitely been getting more intense, it seemed as if it didn’t matter as long as her partner was around. He was able to sense what needed to be done without asking or meticulously planning ahead, along with the fact that he was good with the press. While not as important, Ladybug treasured the fact that she didn’t have to worry about answering questions that required vague answers. 

They had become best friends as well. Despite not knowing the other’s identity, they knew each other inside and out. Ladybug couldn’t help but smile as she thought about the countless nights they had spent perched atop the Eiffel Tower, discussing everything from school to Hawkmoths identity to how different their lives would have been having never met. Or if one of them had been someone else. Still, there was something strange about him that she couldn’t figure out. Sure, there was the standard strangeness you would expect from a punning leather catboy, but there was something else as well. She saw it in the way he seemed to float a second longer than he should have whenever he was using his staff, or in the way his gaze lingered on shimmering patches of stars in the sky. How she had sometimes seen him whispering to the sun or moon… almost like a prayer. 

Ladybug eventually noticed that she and Chat had stopped running; he was calling her name, concerned. 

“You there M’lady?” 

She shook her head and smiled. “Yeah, sorry. So what are we looking at today?”

“Chemist from PSL Research University,” Chat began. “A coworker refused to take proper precautions before testing, which ended up hurting a couple of other chemists and about 4 interns.”

Ladybug sighed. “These are the worst kind.”

Chat nodded. “Right reason, wrong reaction.”

“Let’s get this over with?”

“Ready when you are bugaboo.”

*********  
_“Goddamnit,”_ Chat seethed as he and Ladybug ran into the sewers for a third transformation. 

Ladybug grumbled from around the corner. “I’m starting to lose sympathy for this guy.” She fed Tikki, and a pink light flashed just a second after Chat’s. “Ready to go?” 

“Just a minute.” He said before she got the chance to come around.

She fiddled with her yo-yo while she tried her best to think of a plan. So far, they had tried the lab coat, safety goggles, and ID. What more was there? 

The akuma’s design was simple enough. A pitch-black lab coat and neon yellow safety goggles-- really, Hawkmoth?-- along with their ID and a belt that held several different colored vials. Their hair stood up in an Einstein-like fashion, wild locks jutting out from all sections of their head, along with some sort of chemical that fizzed everywhere they stepped. How was that even possible?  
Ladybug grimaced as she heard The Alchemist shouting from outside. “Grow a pair and show your damn faces! Why can’t Paris’ so-called heroes protect their city?” They were silent for a moment and the heroine knew Hawkmoth must have been speaking to the victim. “Forget you both. I’ll get your miraculous and take care of this place myself. They don’t need you.”

The akuma-- or The Alchemist, as they named themselves-- had spent the better part of two hours spraying people with a liquid that kept them safe… while also making them invincible. Why the hell anyone, even an akuma, thought that would be a good idea was beyond her. 

With their newfound invincibility, people lost all inhibitions. 

In her three years of being Ladybug, the heroine had never seen havoc wreaked upon Paris like this. The streets were pure chaos as it seemed that the city’s lowest and most evil had come out of hiding-- the pure and innocent along with them. Looting and rioting could be seen anywhere you looked. She knew the screams from that night would haunt her forever, and she was sure she had seen a dead body or two somewhere. There had to be some other factor here. How could the city she had worked so hard to protect possibly be this self-destructive?

Marinette was afraid and stressed beyond belief. They had never faced anything as intense as this, what if they couldn’t fix it, what if Hawkmoth finally--

Wait… 

Momentarily pulling herself out of her thoughts, Ladybug heard a murmuring from around the corner. It was Chat Noir. But what was he doing?

“All I’m asking is that you help us out,” Chat muttered. “Just this once, then I’ll leave you alone, I swear.”

Was he-- 

Was he praying?

“Thank’s in advance I guess. If not, screw you.”

Before Ladybug got the chance to say anything, Chat came around the corner with a grim look on his face. 

“Let’s get this over with,” He said. 

And they did. 

After three transformations, plans A through S, and several words Master Fu definitely wouldn’t have approved of, The Alchemist had finally been de-evilized. Once they left the sewers, Ladybug called upon her lucky charm once again and received a canister of liquid nitrogen and a test tube. Scooping a small amount of the fizzing chemical and freezing it, the substance froze in the form of a butterfly, then smashing it and fixing the damage caused. Ladybug took a shaky breath before making her way towards Chat and the victim.

Horrified at the destruction his abilities had caused, the victim, Dr. Marcel Roux, apologized-- close to tears. Calming him down took a while, but after reassurance, they managed to find him a safe ride home. 

Despite the ladybugs fixing everything, Ladybug and Chat Noir both had a sinking feeling that some people weren’t returning home that night.

*********

Wishing both him and the driver a good night, she and Chat sat atop the Eifel Tower, exhausted. Being home was most likely the smartest and safest option, but after what they had seen that night neither of them wanted to be alone with their thoughts that night. 

“Chat,” she began. 

“Hmm,” came a noise. Ladybug turned to him to see that he was against one of the support beams. The moonlight hit his face, and Ladybug wondered how someone could look that angelic any time of day.

“You never told me you were religious.”

His eyes snapped open and his gaze was locked with hers. “What do you mean?” 

“Earlier,” she began. “While we were in the sewers, I heard you praying. Kind of a rude one but a prayer still.”

He snorted. “I wouldn’t exactly call myself religious. I don’t go to church or practice any religion, and I definitely don’t have any sort of relationship with the man upstairs,” Ladybug noticed that he seemed to give the sky some sort of look. Almost imperceptible, but he looked as if he was angry. “But I figure when you’re that low, a little wish can’t hurt.”

She hummed in response, then yawned as she looked over the city.

“I had no idea they were capable of something like that,” she said.

Her partner gave a grim chuckle in response. “Give someone enough power, they’ll do plenty of shit you weren’t expecting.”

Marinette knew he had a point, but there was a nagging feeling in her gut that something really wasn’t right. Of course, she didn’t know the people of Paris that well. She had only been a hero for a short time in the grand scheme of things, but to go from hopeful and faithful to complete anarchists was drastic and unlikely. 

Chat glanced over at her, seeing the gears in her mind turning and the worry on her face. He reached over and placed a hand on her knee.

“Tonight was weird, yeah. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't terrified too. It's horrifying seeing the city we fight so hard to protect turn on itself like that--"

"You're really not helping, you know."

"That's ‘cause you didn't let me finish," She snorted and gestured for him to continue. "Sure, all that's true, but we have each other, and that's honestly all that matters."

She rolled her eyes at him as she stood, leaning on his staff for support. "You suck at pep talks."

He grinned and squatted back down to her level. "My point is, bugaboo, that no matter what happens, I’ll be here to get through it with you. The world could be ending, and it would be ok as long as you're next to me."

She knew she was blushing and turned away as he chuckled. 

"I should get home, Chat." She smiled at his sudden wounded dog expression. "Some of us have curfews you know."

Chat Noir grabbed his hand and pressed a kiss to it. "Until we meet again My Lady." He turned away from her and vaulted off the Eifel. She watched him freefall and he spun in mid-air to face her, winking and giving her a two-finger salute.

He eventually disappeared behind buildings in the distance. Ladybug swung away, grinning stupidly at her partners' antics. While Chat had done his best to reassure her, doubt seeped into her mind. It didn't seem normal for the people of Paris to have that sort of reaction. 

What also wasn’t normal was the pair of glowing red eyes watching her from down below as she made her way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get this chapter out sooner, but with the holidays I got a little distracted. Also, I'll probably be editing a lot in the near future so watch out for that.  
> Again, I wanna thank you all for your support. You have no idea how much it means <3  
> You can find the inspiration for Marinette's design [here!](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/795729827909077123/)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet someone new, Plagg is sad, and _nothing_ could possibly go wrong...
> 
> (Okay to be completely honest I had a hard time writing this from Adrien's pov so any advice or feedback would be really appreciated)
> 
> Edit: I've noticed that there's a small amount of confusion as far as when the fic takes place, so I just wanted to clarify that everything that takes place from this point on is in junior year, and the first two chapters are freshman year. Sorry for the confusion, and if there's anything else I need to go back and fix, let me know. :)

His eyes opened at the same time Nathalie opened his bedroom door. 

“Adrien.”

“Hmm,” he grumbled.

“School in ninety minutes,” Nathalie gave the form under the covers a once-over with a disgusted look on her face. “And please, take a shower.”

He hummed from under the covers. “I’ll think about it.”

Adrien swore he could hear her rolling her eyes. 

She huffed. “Shower. Now.”

Throwing the covers off of his face with a groan, he stared groggily at the ceiling. Despite reassuring Ladybug all those years ago, Adrien had been terrified. Since when was Hawkmoth able to give his victims that much power? The akuma itself hadn’t been much of an issue. What had ended up taking them hours to defeat was the citizens-- people everywhere were running wild. 

He hadn’t been able to sleep-- tossing and turning. Trying his best to force the images of burning buildings and dead bodies from his mind to no avail. There had been too many times that night when he’d had to step away from a structure close to collapse; oftentimes with people still inside. Of course, everyone knew that the miraculous ladybugs would fix everything in the end--

But it didn’t change the fact that the screams of Paris as the city burned had followed him into his dreams even two years after.

*********

Stepping out of the shower, Adrien noted the lack of noise as he tried his best to rub the sleep out of his eyes. Plagg was usually blabbering on about something or noisily shoving cheese down his throat on his holders’ bed before being stuffed into Adrien’s jacket. 

This time, as Adrien crossed his room to his dresser, he was met to complete silence.

“Plagg,” he called out, hoping Nathalie was far away enough for him to not be heard. “Plagg, where are you?”

Being answered in silence again, Adrien searched his entire room about three more times before finally hearing a voice from behind him.

“Do you ever miss it?”

Adrien turned from where he had been searching his desk to see his Kwami had been sitting on the windowsill, gazing at the sun. He sighed before answering. “I mean, yeah. Who wouldn’t?”  
Because, truly, who wouldn’t? Who wouldn’t want to return to a place of complete freedom? A place more beautiful than anything anyone could ever imagine. Paris seemed like a junkyard compared to where he had come from.

Plagg turned to face his Chosen, a heart-wrenching sadness in his cat-like eyes. “Then why did we have to leave?” 

Adrien stood in silence. He’d been asking himself that question a lot lately.

*********

He stepped out of his car, waving Gorilla goodbye as the model trudged towards the school entrance. Lack of sleep had caught up to him, and it didn’t help that it was finals week.

“I’m sure there’s no point in telling you this, but you look like shit, dude,” Nino said as he caught up with Adrien.

“And in other news,” he snarled in response. ”The damn sky is blue.”

Nino snorted. “Good morning to you too, princess.”

“Yeah, yeah I know,” Adrien sighed as he rubbed a hand down his face. “It’s just, we’ve got finals. Not to mention the fact that I’m booked for four days this week. It’s not the most I’ve had to do but last night’s attack didn’t help anything.”

“I don’t blame you,” Nino looked down to avoid tripping on his way up the steps, his bright orange headphones almost falling off of his neck. “Wasn't nearly as bad as the one from freshman year, but my parents we at work, and Alya got stuck at my place-- would’ve been great if Chris hadn’t begged to sleep in my room.”

Adrien’s mind wandered as Nino retold the story of how Chris ruined what would have been a great night for him and Alya, longing for the extent of his troubles to be annoying younger siblings and lack of alone time with his girlfriend.

He walked towards the classroom in a dazed state, finally snapping back to reality when Nino pointed out there was a new girl sitting in their seat. Mme. Bustier must have noticed the confusion in his face because she explained it right away.

“Good morning to both of you,” she beamed as they waved. 

_What was she always so happy about?_

Both boys responded at the same time. “Good morning Mme. Bustier.” 

“I’m sure you must be wondering who this is and why she’s sitting here,” they nodded. The teacher turned to the girl. “Mlle. Rossi, would you like to introduce yourself to them and the rest of the class?”

The new girl stood slowly, her gaze constantly flickering to Adrien’s. “Hello everyone! My name is Lila Rossi, and I’m Italian,” He could have sworn she winked at him as she said that. “I’m sure many of you are wondering why I’m just now attending school, and it’s actually because I’ve just returned from my trip around the world! I’ve been everywhere with my mother; Beijing, New York, San Francisco, New Delhi, Achu, Rome, and now we’re here!”

“Really?” said Alix skeptically from the other side of the classroom.

“Oh, of course!” Lila said. “I’m extremely close to Prince Ali. We’re like this,” at that, Lila twisted her middle and pointer finger, making them intertwined. 

The new girl frowned at Alix’s skeptical expression. “I figured people wouldn’t believe me when I told them this, so here’s a picture of us in his throne room.” 

The class oohed and ahhed as Lila flashed a picture of her and the Prince exactly where she said they’d be. 

“I’ve also met Jagged Stone,“ she said, putting her phone in her messenger bag. ”He wrote a song about me, but never released it to avoid making his fans jealous.”

Max sniffed. “Excuse me, but why would Jagged Stone compose a song about an underage girl?”

Lila rolled her eyes dramatically. “Not like that, silly. It was just his way of thanking me for returning Fang after an incident.” A troubled look came over her face while she continued. “The pilot had been taking off and Jagged hadn’t realized that Fang wasn’t on the plane. We’d been having our weekly dinner and I was heading home when I saw poor Fang sitting there looking so scared.”

“I’m so sorry Lila,” Mme. Bustier spoke softly, but firm. “But could you please explain to them why you’re in Nino and Adrien’s usual spot?”

Lila sniffed and wiped away a few tears before continuing. “Of course, Mme. Bustier. I’m so sorry, it’s just-- I get so emotional thinking about the situation. What if I hadn’t been there to help? Fang would have been separated from Jagged for who knows how long!?” She fanned her face in an attempt to lessen the steady flow of tears from her face but continued to cry. “Ugh, I didn’t mean to cause such a scene on my first day back-- perhaps it would have been better had I just stayed with my mother back home in Italy--”

“Oh no,” their teacher interrupted. “Lila we’re so happy to have you here. Please, take as long as you need to calm yourself.”

As the new girl walked quickly out of the classroom, the faces of nearly everyone in the room were full of sympathy. Adrien shifted awkwardly next to Nino in the doorway as his teacher turned to face him. 

“Adrien, you have some of the best grades in the class, I figured it would be best to have you help her catch up on any missing work she has to do. As far as the new seating; while helping Fang, Lila suffered serious damage to her right ear and has hearing trouble. I hope you don’t mind helping her.”

Adrien turned to glance at Nino, who shrugged. “Uhm, sure. I guess I don’t mind.”

“Excellent!” Mme. Bustier clasped her hands together, a bright smile still on her face. 

_Seriously, what was she always so happy about?_

“Nino, if you don’t mind, you’ll be sitting in the back for the time being.”

A slight frown crossed Nino’s face but brightened when Adrien promised to let him copy his notes while he dozed off in class. 

*********

Eventually, Lila opened the door and slid right next to Adrien in the front row. Somehow, there were still a good six minutes before class began. He started to put his head down to get a quick nap in when a voice next to him began speaking. 

“Oh. My. _Goodness_ ,” said Lila-- her olive-green eyes impossibly wide. 

Adrien looked up to see Lila staring directly at him.“Uh, is there an issue?” he asked tentatively. 

“Are you _the_ Adrien Agreste?” she gushed. Adrien noted the way her ”As in, son of fashion designer Gabriel Agreste?”

He chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah, that’s me I guess.”

“How did I not realize that earlier? I’m such a big fan of your work! You looked amazing in the latest edition of _Mensuel_ magazine. Your father’s designs for the fall line were ingenious. ”

“Uhm, thank you?” Stealing a glance behind him, Adrien saw a confused Alya and an amused Marinette.

She placed a hand on his thigh and frowned when he pushed it off. “You know, I’d love to get the chance to model with you someday. It would give us a great chance to get to know each other.”

Marinette sighed from behind them and Lila turned to face her. 

“Hello,” her smile seemed to stretch across her entire face-- any trace of her earlier meltdown completely gone. “I’m not sure we’ve met yet. Lila Rossi.” She stuck out her hand at Marinette. 

The designer smiled back sweetly, a hint of exhaustion and something else in her eyes that Adrien couldn’t quite place. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It’s nice to meet you, Lila.”

“You seem like a really great person,” Lila beamed. “I’d love for us to become closer friends, if that’s okay with you, of course.”

“I wouldn’t mind that at all,” Marinette grinned. “In fact, Alya, Nino, and I were all going to head to Andre’s after school-- you could tag along if you’d like.”

“I’d love that!” turning to Adrien, Lila grabbed his arm and smiled. “What about you Adrien? You’re not busy this afternoon, are you?”

Adrien eyed Marinette for any sign of annoyance. Once he decided he was in the clear, he agreed. 

“Yeah sure,” he said. “I’m always down for ice cream-- especially Andre’s.”

Mme. Bustier clapped her hands together, smiling once again, as the bell rang. “Alright everyone, please open your books to chapter eight for review.”

Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, sorry this one took so long. I wanted it to be out a little bit sooner, but some personal stuff got in the way. Hopefully, chapter 4 will be out sooner. :)  
> Also uhhhh, Lila and Marinette friendship? Most likely not but it'll be fun while it lasts.  
> Say hey on [Tumblr!](https://leemotionalwreck.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT: I've recently started school again, which means I'm gonna be pretty busy. In order to maintain the quality (?) of my chapters, I'm gonna be changing the updates to every Wednesday. If I get them out sooner, great, but so far that's the best I can do. If anything changes, I'll let you all know. :)
> 
> In which there is ice cream, a lot of talking, and a crap ton of plot. (Seriously though sorry guys, this chapter is a lot of plot and there's not much action. Read at your own risk.)

It was dusk when Nino’s arm wrapped around Alya as she excitedly gripped her phone. “Here!” She exclaimed. “This picture shows he’s at the Pont des Arts!” 

“Again?” Marinette questioned.

Nino shrugged. “Guess it’s his favorite place.”

“You’d think he’d choose somewhere a little warmer,” she groaned.

Adrien snorted. “It’s only fall, Marinette.”

She shivered as she glared at him. “Doesn’t change the fact that it’s cold as hell out here.”

“Give her a break Adrien,” Lila interrupted. Her hand moved up and down his bicep. “Not all of us can wear a t-shirt and shorts in fifty-degree weather.”

Adrien frowned at the girl next to him, slowly moving his arm out of her grasp. “I thought you were supposed to be on my side.”

Lila shrugged, a sly smile on her face. “I can switch sides when necessary.”

“I knew there was a reason I invited you,” Marinette grinned.

Alya was practically buzzing with excitement as the rest of the group talked amongst themselves. “Come on, Nino,” she groaned. “I swear, a damn turtle could beat you in a race.”

“Alright, alright,” Nino chuckled. He spun around to face the others behind him. “You guys better hurry. I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to be responsible for restricting Alya’s sweet tooth.” the couple ran ahead towards the bridge, hand in hand. 

Marinette followed closely behind, with Adrien and Lila trailing slightly behind. Instead of running with the rest, Lila chose to stay latched onto Adrien’s arm the entire time, constantly giggling at his jokes and asking what flavors he thought Andre would give them. 

*********

After walking another mile (Lila had made sure to keep track), the five teenagers had reached the bridge. Adrien marveled at the hundreds of padlocks that had been locked on the railing and grates. His heart squeezed at the thought of being able to have one to bring here with someone. Someday. 

Naturally, Andre was elated to see that Nino and Alya were still together.

“Alya! Nino!” The man roared in his jolly accent. Andre was kind but loud and expressive. It always took newcomers several trips to get used to the gentle giant. “How glad I am to see the both of you!”

The two beamed in unison as they stood at the front of the line. “Hey, Andre.”

“And what will the lovely couple be having today?” The vendor clasped his hands together in excitement, an exciting assortment of flavors laid out in front of him. Adrien had always thought it was endearing how touched the man had been by love-- even though he never seemed to have anyone for himself.

“Same as always,” Alya smiled.

“Very well,” Andre scooped three different flavors onto a single cone. “Banana, coconut, and passion fruit-- for a paring tried and true.” There was a gleeful grin on his face as he handed the treat to the pair. 

“Thank you, Andre!” They said, somehow always in sync.

“The pleasure is always mine,” the man chimed. He looked at the remaining three, an ever-present gleam in his eye. Casting a curious glance at Adrien and Lila, Andre smiled at Marinette. “My dear Marinette,” he pleaded. ”I do hope you’ll be willing to try a treat this time around.”

“Of course,” Marinette smiled, stepping closer to the cart. “I wouldn’t dare miss out on your ice cream.”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Andre smiled. “Am I correct to assume you would like the same as last time?”

Marinette nodded in response. 

Adrien was sure Lila had asked him a question-- he’d felt a tugging on his arm-- but was too busy trying to see what flavors Marinette had been given.

Andre scooped only two flavors this time around. “Peach pink like his lips, mint green like his eyes,” the vendor grinned as he handed Marinette her treat.

Tasting the ice cream, she hummed in delight despite the cold. “Y’know, it doesn’t even matter whether your ice cream works for me or not; the flavor is more than enough to keep me coming back. Thank you, Andre.”

Lila tugged on Adrien’s arm, calling his name once more.

“Come back any time, Marinette. Seeing your face is always a treat for me,” the soft look in Andre’s eyes proved his words were true. “And please,” he continued. “Tell your parents I say hello.”

“Of course,” she said, turning to walk towards the bench Alya and Nino had headed to a few minutes earlier.

Adrien watched as she looked at her ice cream thoughtfully before taking another bite. _Who was she thinking about?_

“Adrien!” he turned to see that Lila had been calling his name. Her face seemed to darken before brightening up once she had his attention. “It’s our turn.”

“Oh, yeah,” he muttered. “Sorry.” Keeping her arm linked through his, Lila tugged Adrien towards the cart. 

“Ah, hello Adrien!” Andre beamed. “I am so glad to see your face. It’s been far too long.”

“It’s nice to see you too, Andre,” he said.

“And who is this lovely lady on your arm?”

Before Adrien could answer, Lila introduced herself. “My name is Lila Rossi. I’m new to Francoise Dupont,” a large smile was plastered on her face, framed by the thick strands of hair on either side of her face. “The other four were planning to come and find you today-- something about the best ice cream in Paris?”

Adrien wasn’t sure if Lila noticed how Andre’s smile faltered slightly before returning to normal. “I should hope so. Though I doubt anyone other than me has that special touch.” 

“Well I hope you’re worth the walk,” Lila said.

Instead of continuing the banter, Andre turned his attention to Adrien. “So, what will the two of you be having today?”

“Oh,” Adrien started. “We’re not a-”

“Whatever you think is best,” Lila interjected. At Adrien’s confused expression, she explained. “What? Just cause we’re not dating doesn’t mean we can’t share a cone.”

“Whatever you say, I guess.”

Andre thought for a moment before deciding. “Mint for you, Adrien, and coffee for the lovely lady.”

Lila made a face at the same time Adrien said, “Thank you, Andre.” 

“Why of course. It was wonderful seeing you. And I hope to see more of you, Lila. Any friend of Alya, Nino, Marinette, or Adrien is a friend of mine.”

The pair waved goodbye as Andre packed up his equipment to head to a new spot before finally heading over to Nino, Alya, and Marinette.

“Are you sure there’s no one?” Alya said to a beet red Marinette. “Cause you looked pretty happy when Andre gave you those specific flavors.” The mischievous look on her face hinted that this conversation had been going on for a while at this point.

“I promise you there’s no one,” Marinette said cooly despite her blush. “I just enjoy ice cream. Is that really such a bad thing?”

“Gee, Marinette. Are they always this bad?” Lila asked.

Marinette nodded.

“Well then,” Lila laughed as she placed an arm around Marinette’s’ shoulder. “Looks like I’ll be on your side more often than usual.”

Marinette shot a smug look at Alya. “See that?” she said. “True friendship. You’d better take notes if you plan on keeping me.”

Alya scrunched her nose. “I think I’ll take my chances. What flavors did you guys get anyway?”

“Coffee for me, and mint for Adrien.”

Nino and Marinette both paused mid-bite. “Mint?”

“Y-yeah,” Adrien said, confused. “Why? What’s wrong with mint?”

“Dude…” Nino said at the same time Marinette grumbled, “I knew there was a reason I didn’t like you.”

Adrien frowned at Marinette, "Didn't Andre give you mint ice cream?" She rolled her eyes. "It's not the same." "How so?" "Cause it's not!" She argued. "And who gets mint with coffee anyway? That's disgusting." Nino nodded in agreement with Marinette while Adrien did his best to defend himself. "It's really not that bad. You guys just-" He made a gagging noise mid-sentence. Marinette raised an eyebrow at him. "I rest my case," she said smugly. "Yeah well, at least Alya's enjoying hers," Nino said pointedly. At that point, Alya had practically finished the cone. "Leave any for me?" There was no point in asking when she obviously hadn't. 

Adrien handed the cone to Lila who just shrugged and continued eating. “Well maybe he’s not as great as you guys made him out to be,” despite the skeptical glances she received from the rest, she continued with a smile. “I visited Jamacia a few months ago, they had some of the best ice creams I’ve ever tasted. I promise to bring you all someday.”

“Okay,” Nino shrugged as he walked over to the railing of the bridge.

Adrien noticed the annoyed look she gave him when he turned away.

*********

While Alya, Lila, and Marinette talked and laughed amongst themselves Adrien walked over to Nino who had been staring out over the Seine as the setting sun glistened on the water. 

“Hey dude,” Nino said. “Still surprised your old man let you come and hang.”

“Me too,” Adrien chuckled. “If I were you I wouldn’t expect anything else from him for a while. I’m booked for the rest of this week and, knowing him, most of next week too.”

“Damn. I’ll never understand how you deal with all that, man. It’s gotta be, like, child abuse or something.”

Adrien sighed. “I’ll get back to you when I figure that out myself”

They fell into a comfortable silence as Adrien thought back to the events from earlier-- how Andre had acted so strangely when he and Lila walked up to the cart. As far as he knew, he hadn’t insulted the vendor in any way, aside from maybe when Lila made a face at the pairing they received. A bad mood was ruled out as well seeing as he had been perfectly fine while Nino, Alya, and Marinette had ordered. 

“Dude, you good?” Nino asked. “You look like you just chugged a gallon of cough medicine.”

Nino’s voice yanked Adrien out of his thoughts. “Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking,” he paused, trying to gather his ideas. “Did Andre seem-- off to you?”

“Andre?” Nino laughed. “The man whose sole purpose in life is to bring people together and liven the mood? I don’t know dude,” He squinted, the sunlight reflecting off of his glasses, nearly blinding Adrien. “Maybe all that hairspray is getting to you.” He jokingly held a hand up to Adrien’s forehead, who slapped it away good-naturedly.

“Whatever, dude,” Adrien laughed. “Just shut up so we can watch this sunset, yeah?”

Nino grinned as he bowed dramatically in front of him. “As you wish, my liege.” At this, Adrien rolled his eyes once again. 

Cupping his hands around his mouth, Adrien shouted over to the girls who had been huddled around Alya, laughing at giggling at something on her phone. “Come on girls, you can’t miss this.”

As the girls walked over from the bench to the railing, a smug Alya sauntered over to the two boys, her phone in hand behind her back.

“Soo, the three of us were just looking at old pictures in my camera roll,” Alya began, and Adrien noticed that Lila and Marinette couldn’t seem to stop giggling from behind her. “And we found something from a while ago that we thought the both of you might want to see.”

The two boys leaned against the railing and Adrien’s gaze flickered over to Nino, who shrugged. 

“Uh, okay.” Adrien began. “And that is...”

The Cheshire-like grin on Alya’s face told both of them that whatever was coming next wasn’t going to be enjoyable. “Well,” she drawled. “I found a picture of the two of you from freshman year.”

Nino’s ashen face wasn’t a good sign. “Alya,” his voice was low. “Tell me that isn’t--”

“Oh, it is.” Her expression resembled a predator that had nearly captured its’ prey. The snickers of Lila and Marinette grew louder by the second. “And I do hope the two of you have plans to recreate this magnificent image sometime soon.”

Alya’s hand finally appeared from behind her back, in it was her phone with an image from freshman year. On Halloween night two years ago, Nino and Adrien had decided to make their own Mario and Luigi costumes-- their reason that they were practically brothers, so it would hardly be any different. What they hadn’t counted on, however, was how difficult it would be. Both costumes were two sizes too small (in all the wrong places), and the colors had faded severely. Which meant Luigi (Adrien) was a lime green bag with armholes, while Mario (Nino) was the same, but pink. Both costumes complete with oversized shoes, mustaches, hats, and overalls; it had been the perfect storm for disaster. Alix and Kim hadn’t let them forget it.

In hindsight, it had been a hilarious situation, but Nino still hadn’t gotten over the embarrassment. 

The second the phone had been shoved in Adrien’s and Nino’s faces, the girls’ laughter couldn’t be contained any longer, and Adrien swore their howling could have been heard in Versailles. 

Nino’s face changed in an instant. With a wicked grin, he charged forward and pounced on Alya, pinning her against him and bringing her back to his original spot near the railing.

Adrien backed out of the way, sliding over toward Marinette and Lila for safety.

“That phone is going to end up in the water by the time this is over.” Adrien turned to see Marinette was watching their two friends with a small smile on her face. 

Lila frowned. “There’s no way. They’ve gotta be more responsible than that.”

At Marinette’s quirked eyebrow, Adrien laughed. “Sorry, Marinette, but I’m with Lila. you must not know Nino as well as you thought if you really think he’s gonna let Alya’s phone fall.” 

Instead of arguing, Marinette just chuckled. “I’ll bet both of you twenty euros that phone ends up in the water by the end of this.”

Adrien and Lila looked at one another before deciding, “You’re on.”

With Alya’s phone still in her hand, both smiling, the couple goofed around dangerously close to the railing. Nino finally managed to yank the device out of his girlfriend’s hand.

“Hey,” she said, trying her hardest to sound angry despite her laughter. “Nino, give it back.”

He held it high above Alya’s head, leaning slightly back over the railing. “Nope. not until you swear to delete it.”

Her eye’s narrowed playfully. “Never.” 

“Then I guess I’m getting a new phone today,” Nino joked. “Thanks, babe, you’re the best.”

He leaned in for a kiss. Almost knowing what Alya was thinking, Marinette warned:

“Alya, it’s not going to work. You’re going to get your phone dropped in the river.”

Naturally, Alya didn’t listen.

With her lips on his, Nino made the mistake of letting his guard down. Alya reached for the phone, practically climbing him, and Nino jerked it away-- just a little too hard.

As the five teens watched the phone soar in the air, there were several different reactions.

Alya and Nino were shocked. (cause who knew wrestling for an electronic device near a boy of water could possibly end badly?)

Adrien and Lila were pissed as they handed Marinette a collective forty euros.

And Marinette was just glad that she had finally won a bet.

The phone landed in the water with a quiet plop. It was dead silent, save for Alya’s raspy voice.

“My parents are gonna kill me.”

*********

“I don’t trust her,” were the first words out of Plagg’s mouth the second Adrien closed his bedroom door. 

After the Phone Fiasco, the five watched the sunset, content to remain quiet for the rest of their time there-- until Adrien was called home. Nino walked Alya home, promising to take the blame for what happened. Lila offered to walk home with Adrien, but it turned out she lived closer to Marinette than she thought, which meant Adrien walked home alone; promising to text Lila when he arrived. Before leaving, the group did their best to arrange a study meeting that Thursday--provided Adrien wasn’t busy and Alya wasn’t grounded.

Shooting Lila a text that he’s made it home safely, Plagg spoke again. “Did you hear me? I said I don’t trust her.”

“Hmm?” was Adrien’s response as Plagg grumbled, “I don’t get nearly enough cheese for this bullshit.”

“Language,” Adrien warned as he walked over to his cabinet, tossing a chunk of Camembert to his kwami. “And who are you even talking about?”

Plagg rolled his eyes dramatically. “I’m talking about sausage girl.”

Adrien snorted. “Sausage girl?” He managed to choke out while coughing. “You mean Lila?”

“Yeah,” said Plagg between obnoxious bites of cheese. “Whatever her name is, I don’t trust her. Something doesn’t seem right, but I can’t pinpoint it.”

Adrien rolled his eyes, copying his kwami. “Plagg, you don’t get to judge someone just because you don’t like them. That’s not how it works--”

“What about pigtails?” 

“That’s… different,” Adrien frowned. “I can’t explain it, but it’s different.”

“Mmhmm. Whatever you say.”

He growled and headed to the shower, annoyed by Plagg and the fact that he had such a busy week ahead of him. 

But what if Plagg had a point? Sure, Marinette had been civil that day, but it wasn’t like she really hid her distrust of him. And how was it fair that the new girl who told fantastical tales of saving crocodiles and being best friends with princes was just accepted. 

Not wanting to dwell on the situation any longer, Adrien turned the water on, accidentally burning himself with hot water.

“Ahh, shit.” He yelled as he jumped back, almost losing his balance.

“Language!” Plagg shouted from his spot on Adrien’s bed. “Fuck off,” was his response. Adrien swore he could hear Plagg’s snickering despite the running water.

As he reached forward to adjust the temperature, Adrien noticed several bruises on his right arm. He had never bruised easily, so he knew it had to have been something worth remembering, but he couldn’t think of anything. Shrugging it off, he put it out of his mind. Maybe-- 

Wait… 

Lila had been latched onto him practically that whole day, but he had no recollection of her gripping him hard enough to leave bruises. And why hadn’t he felt anything earlier?

He gingerly ran his fingers over the marks, hissing and moving his hand away quickly when a burning sensation came suddenly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where did Adrien really get the bruises from? And why did they hurt so bad? Also, yay Marinette is forty euros richer!!!! :)  
> Will the brothers be making a return? Only time will tell...  
> Gee, I hope Alya isn't grounded...  
> Thank you sooooo much to [Selkie077!](https://heartfulselkie.tumblr.com/) for dealing with my indecisiveness and conversations about ice cream :)  
> As usual, I wanna thank you all for your support and for sticking with me this far. I promise I'll try and make it worthwhile in the end. :) ❤❤  
> Come say hey on [Tumblr!](https://leemotionalwreck.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is _soooo_ much plot (I'm sorry. I really am), Lila goes too far, and Adrien is dangerously okay.  
> AND LOOK!!! I GOT THE CHAPTER OUT A DAY EARLY!! *passes out from exhaustion and writers block*  
> Okay look, I swear this is the last chill chapter and that the story kinda sorta picks up after this. Thank you for sticking around this long!!   
> WARNING!!!!: There is mild sexual harassment and in case it makes anyone uncomfortable or triggers anyone, I wanna let you know now just to make sure everyone's okay.

He felt Plagg shift restlessly inside his jacket pocket while he watched the sunrise from the backseat of his car. At 4:51 am, the sun had yet to rise, and the street lights illuminated his face as Adrien rested his head against the window. The ride was quiet as usual, the only words being ‘good morning’ as he climbed into the backseat and ‘thank you’ as he exited and headed towards the building where the photoshoot was to take place. 

Adrien did his best to avoid conversation with anyone aside from a polite ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’-- his eyes were blurry with sleep, so it was probably for the best. He kept his head low as he walked towards the elevator, passing businessmen and women with cups of coffee filled to the brim, talking-- rather loudly-- into their earpieces and brushing past others just like themselves. He’d never liked the building itself; it had always been dull and grey despite the constant stream of people coming in and out-- as if it was a cruel reminder of just how similar it was to his new life. 

Two flights of stairs and an elevator ride later, Adrien had finally reached the floor where the shoot was to take place. Walking towards the dressing room, he opened the door to see the photographer laughing about something with his makeup artist. 

“Hey Cecil,” he said groggily. The doorframe seemed to be the only thing holding him up at the moment. “Hi, Mona.”

Cecil turned to see who had spoken, grinning when he saw a sleep-deprived Adrien Agreste. “What’s up, Adrien,” he said, his American accent thick as always. Giving the model a once-over, Cecil’s grin died down slightly. “So,” Cecil took a sip of his cup. “How many ounces do you want this morning?”

Mona slapped his arm. “You know there’s no coffee before shoots.” She huffed, getting a laugh from her husband in return. Turning to Adrien, she smiled sweetly. “I’m sorry sweetie, but coffee’s gonna stain your teeth and I wanna get you out of here as soon as possible.”

Cecil opened his mouth to protest before Adrien yawned again.

“It’s alright,” he muttered. The floor seemed to be getting closer and Adrien wondered why until he realized that he was falling forward. 

Cecil jumped towards Adrien to catch him just as he managed to right himself. “I’m alright,” He said. “I just hope I can make it to school on time.”

“Well then,” Mona said unsurely as she gestured to the chair in front of her. “Take a seat and we’ll get started.”

Cecil took another sip of his coffee. “We might take a little longer setting up, cause there are so many new people this time around. Just take your time and head over when you and your partner are ready, okay?”

He looked up from where he sat while Mona prepared everything she needed on the counter behind him. “Partner? What partner?”

She turned toward him slightly. “No one told you?” Adrien shook his head. “Ah, that’s all right. You’ll meet her soon enough.”

*********

After sitting still and in a chair for entirely too long and getting changed into the clothing provided, Adrien checked that the time on his phone read 5:35 before setting it with the rest of his clothing and heading towards where the shoot was taking place. 

The room was spacious with plenty of natural lighting coming in from the massive windows that reminded him of his bedroom. The walls and floors were baby blue and white, giving the place a strange feeling that it had just been painted, despite having been there for years. With Cecil, the crew, and the equipment set up on one side of the room, all tables filled with coffee cups and torn open sugar packets lined the wall on the other side of the room. 

While Adrien was chatting friendly with one of the newer assistants by one of the tables (which had always seemed out of place to him in the otherwise empty room), Cecil came up to him with a girl trailing behind who Adrien couldn’t see quite clearly save her long brown hair that reached her waist.

“Sorry no one told you about this earlier,” Cecil smiled apologetically, his bright white teeth contrasting his deep brown skin. “But we’d figured you’d be okay with it. She’s pretty new, so go easy on her, yeah?” Adrien smiled and nodded. “Great. We’re almost done setting everything up, be ready in ten.”

The photographer walked away along with the intern, allowing Adrien to finally get a look at the new model. 

Lila Rossi. 

“Lila!” Why hadn’t she brought this up before? “Since when are you a model? You never mentioned it before.”

“About that; funny story actually,” she giggled. “I hadn’t told anyone because, one; I’d only been hired recently and two, even if they had hired me sooner, I was told not to tell anyone. I had no idea you’d be the one I was working with since all they told me is that I’d be with some big-time model and not to bring it up until after.”

“Oh,” he murmured. That didn’t answer all of his questions, but he could always ask later when they had more time. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he plastered a smile on his face. “Well. I’m glad to be working with a friend.”

“So am I,” Lila purred. Something in her eyes made Adrien want to turn away and run while she took a step closer to him. “I’ve been thinking, you know.”

Adrien stared cautiously at the manicured finger that was making its way up his chest. “Oh?” 

“Mhm. I think, as friends, it’s important to have close relationships with everyone in the group. But it seems like you and I aren’t all that close.”

“We’re plenty close right now, aren’t we?” He joked, shifting away from her slightly. 

Lila maintained the contact between the two, seeming as if she had no intention of moving away any time soon. “You know what I meant, silly.” Her gaze was finally torn away from his arms and chest, locking on his eyes instead. “We don’t spend nearly enough time together, and I think the two of us should hang out more. Maybe after this shoot is over we could--”

“Alright guys, come on over!” Adrien didn’t think he could have been more grateful for Cecil than he was at that moment.

“We’re coming!” He shouted across the room. Removing himself from Lila’s touch, Adrien turned to face her again and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re right Lila, but I’d hate to leave the others out, you know? Besides, we’ve got school after this.”

As the pair walked towards the set Adrien noted the strangled growl that came from behind him, along with the burning sensation that came from where she touched him. 

*********

The designer, Jeremy McKnight, was present the entire shoot-- adamant about being there to ensure his vision was properly executed. His original idea had been extremely reliant on the theme of good and evil. Light and dark, yin and yang, angels and demons, and so on. Both outfits were simple enough. For Lila, all-black clothing; basic dark jeans, and a black long-sleeved shirt with a dark grey ruffled shirt over it along with black boots to complete it. Adrien was almost completely the opposite. A white long-sleeved shirt and white pants, complete with a light blue button-down overshirt and white tennis shoes. 

Both models had a few pictures taken alone before stepping in front of the camera together. 

“Alright, you two,” Cecil said as the two walked in front of the camera. “From what I’ve seen, you two have chemistry, which means this part shouldn’t be difficult at all.”

The designer spoke from his chair a few feet away from the camera. “Exactly. What we want is the coming together of light and dark. You guys think you can do that?” Unfortunately, Jeremy fit the stereotype of the diva designer perfectly. His cliche beret, scarf, and glasses all seeming to feed into the persona.

That wasn’t helping the pit in Adrien’s stomach.

It wasn’t nerves. He’s done countless photoshoots before, the one continuous emotion being boredom. No, this was something else-- something synonymous to fear. Or was it dread?

The two nodded in tandem. “Great!” The designer said. “Let’s see what you guys got.”

*********

A couple of shots later both Cecil and the designer were pleased with the outcome, except for the latter requesting to adjust the two models himself. 

Cecil looked at the two for confirmation consent before turning back to the designer. “Yeah sure. Just make it quick, cause we’ve only got about an hour left.”

“What time is it?” Adrien asked. 

Cecil looked at his watch. “Seven on the dot.” Looking back up at Adrien, he raised his eyebrow with a chuckle. “You got somewhere to be?”

He smiled sheepishly. “School.” 

He chuckled. "Fair enough. Alright Mr. McKnight, come on over."

Jeremy walked towards the two with his nose in the air and began his adjustments. In the end, Adrien was facing towards the camera with his hip jutted to the left and his head in his pockets. His head was angled slightly upwards while his gaze was still locked on the camera. Lila's body was faced entirely towards Adrien, with one arm on his shoulder and the other with its thumb in her belt loop. Her head faced the camera and the designer beamed at his work. 

He wasn’t claustrophobic, that was what he knew. But right then and there the suffocation he felt was overwhelming and he felt faint. His breathing grew shallow and his palms were sweaty and the ground was swaying but Lila and Jeremy didn’t seem to notice. In fact, it seemed as if they were getting close to him and that Lila’s grip on his arm was getting tighter. Worst of all, the burning spread. It spread from his shoulder and filled his chest and melded with his brain and sank into the soles of his feet. It grew so hot that it felt cold and the fear grew with it and Jesus was he about to die?

“Great,” Jeremy said. “How does that feel?”

Adrien couldn’t really tell if he nodded, hoping the strangled noise that came from somewhere was both his and a sign of confirmation. 

“It’s perfect,” Lila said. 

“Alright then,” Said the photographer. “Last couple pictures and we’re done.” 

*********

Lila and Adrien (after securing a sleeping Plagg in his school bag) returned from the dressing rooms at the same time, both dressed in their school attire and their bags on them.

Adrien released a deep breath and Lila sighed next to him. Her hand somehow back on his shoulder. After Jeremy had moved away from him earlier the suffocation subsided but it wasn’t until Cecil called him over to where his tripod was set up that the pain had all but went away. 

“Hey, you alright man?” He asked softly, making sure that the girl on her phone not too far from them couldn’t hear the question. 

“Yeah,” Adrien said. “Why?”

In any other situation, the dumbfounded look that Cecil gave Adrien might have made him laugh, but right now he was worried. Why wouldn’t he be okay?

The photographer took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose before sighing deeply and kept on speaking. “I’m gonna help the rest of the crew put all this away then meet up with Mona downstairs,” Cecil huffed at his uncooperative tripod before it finally conceded and he continued. “I know you two have school, but if you want I wouldn’t mind buying a cup for you.” He sighed at Adrien. “Looks like you need it.”

Adrien sighed, “Yeah. Yeah, that sounds nice.” He called to the girl not too far from him. “What about you, Lila?”

“Hmm?” She'd been texting furiously to someone on the other end of her phone. Based on the look in her eyes, he’d hate to be whoever that was right now.

“Do you mind stopping for a coffee before heading to school? I’ll make sure to give you a ride if you do.”

“Oh,” she smiled and put her phone in her grey messenger bag. “Sure. As I said, it couldn’t hurt for us to spend more time together.”

Adrien just shrugged at the curiously worried look Cecil gave him. 

As the trio walked down to the ground level Lila questioned where Mr. McKnight had gone. 

“No idea,” Cecil said. 

Just as they turned the corner, Adrien could have sworn he felt a pair of eyes on him. He caught a glimpse of them, most likely imagining the red gaze burning through his back directly into his soul. 

*********

“Thank you both so much!” Lila called as she slid into the back seat of the limo, her drink in hand. 

Cecil looked at Mona and nodded. “Hey Lila you go on ahead,” she said. “We’ve got something we need to talk to Adrien about.”

Halfway out the door, Lila shot a look at Adrien who nodded. 

Mona’s tongue fiddled with her lip piercing. “Are you and Lila dating?”

Naturally, he’d been taking a sip of his tea at that time; which meant he choked while burning his throat and nose. 

Fun. 

After reassuring the couple that he was okay, he answered Mona’s question. “No. no we’re not. Why?”

“I told her about earlier,” Cecil said. “About how uncomfortable you looked. If you two aren’t dating-- are you okay?”

Adrien’s heart warmed at the fact that they cared enough. He hadn’t felt a love like that in a while. Smiling, he answered. “Thank you both, but I’m okay. Lila can be somewhat… touchy-- but that’s just how she is. I swear I’m alright.”

They looked at each other skeptically, silently having some sort of conversation that Adrien, despite speaking several languages, couldn’t even begin to decipher what they were thinking. 

After a long, drawn-out silence, they nod and Mona says one more thing before they leave to walk to their car. “Hey, in case she ever tries anything-- I can’t always be there but please remember that you’re allowed to be uncomfortable and say no.” He nodded and said goodbye to the both of them.

He slid into the seat next to Lila, handing her his cup to avoid spilling on the leather seats. 

“What’d you get yelled at for?” She asked. He couldn’t tell if she was serious. 

“Nothing I was in trouble for. Just a reminder. ”

Aside from Lila’s attempts to start a conversation, the rest of the ride was silent as Adrien did his best to figure out exactly why Mona had been concerned, too deep in thought to notice the burning sensation spread as Lila ran a hand up and down his thigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I did it! Now for me to stress over this for another week 😌  
> No, but seriously I love you all so much yall are amazing and [Selkie077!](https://heartfulselkie.tumblr.com/) thank you so much for dealing with my countless questions once again. I'd seriously be a wreck without you. And I know he'll never see this but thank's to my brother for dealing with me too and constantly reading and re-reading this chapter. I love you dude  
> Finally thank you all for STILL reading this. Seriously, how are you still here!? Yall are the best and I swear I'm gonna do the best I can to not make this a total train wreck! <3  
> [Lila outfit inspiration](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/770889661215728403/) [Adrien outfit inspiration](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/770889661215728406/)  
> Come say hey on [Tumblr!](https://leemotionalwreck.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which something _finally_ happens. Sorry if you're still here... in case you're not tired of this yet, thank you, everyone, for reading :)

“Ughh,” Alya groaned dramatically for what had to be the eighteenth time that morning. “Marinette! I’m bored!” She said, dragging out the last word. “I don’t have a phone. Entertain me.”

Marinette laughed, silently wishing the sun would peek out for a moment and provide better lighting. “Well that’s what happens when you drop your phone in the Seine, isn’t it?”

She scoffed. “That was Nino’s fault and you know it.”

“Whatever you say.”

“You’re the literal worst,” Alya huffed. “Remind me why we’re friends again?”

Marinette squinted at her sketchbook and brought it close to her face. Deciding she didn’t like the shape of the sleeve, she frowned, erased, and restarted. “Cause you love me.”

Alya hummed and tapped her chin playfully. “Hmm, no, I don’t think that’s it at all. Try again.”

Nino’s head rested on Alya’s shoulder as he scrolled through his phone. “You two worry me deeply.”

“As if you’re not just as bad with Adrien,” she scoffed.

At that, Nino placed a hand on his chest dramatically. “What me and Adrien have is special. You and Marinette could never.”

Marinette wondered if anyone had noticed the way her nose scrunched up at the mention of his name. “Yeah,” she said. “Cause your girlfriend’s being a shitty friend right now.”

Looking up from his phone, Nino wrapped his arms around Alya and put his chin on her shoulder. “Babe, don’t be a shitty friend, please. Nobody likes a shitty friend.”

“But she’s just sitting there letting me be bored while sketching and having the audacity to use my thighs as a freaking pillow.”

He raised his eyebrow. “You know you’re wearing my jacket right now, right?”

“And?” Alya gripped the edges of the jacket tighter around her. “It’s, like, five degrees out here. Besides, I need it more than you.”

“Okay that’s a pretty good point,” Nino nodded in agreement and kept his head on Alya’s shoulder while turning to his childhood friend. “Marinette, what do you have to say in your defense?”

She shrugged, her long-sleeved shirt rubbing against Alya’s jeans. “They’re comfortable. Besides, I live in a bakery so it’s not like she won’t be getting free pastries for life.”

Sucking in air through his teeth, Nino adjusted his head once again to bother his girlfriend. “Yeah, she’s got you there.”

“I hate both of you,” Alya muttered.

“Love you, too.” Said both of them.

At some point during their conversation, a well-known black limo pulled up in front of the school. Marinette lifted her head from her sketchbook, surprised to see Adrien getting out of the car along with Lila trailing behind him. 

“Oh look, Nino,” Alya deadpanned. “Your boyfriend is finally here.”

Nino snorted in response. “Jealous much?”

“Nope, just glad to get rid of you.”

While the couple continued… whatever they were doing, Marinette thought to herself. She knew Adrien had a shoot scheduled that day. Maybe Lila had gone with him? A glance at the cups in their hands told her that may have been the case, but as far as Marinette knew, Lila had no interest in fashion. Had she suddenly begun a modeling career like Adrien?

What was more confusing than the two of them arriving at school together was the timid look on Lila’s face. In the short time Marinette had known her, Lila was far from fretful, let alone timid-- so why the sudden change of character?

As if sensing Marinette’s eyes on her, Lila’s face brightened suddenly and she waved to where Marinette, Nino, and Alya sat on the steps in front of the school “Hi guys,” She chirped, her cheery voice contrasting with the earlier look on her face.

Marinette waved at her and resumed her designs, noticing her tone but saying nothing. _Maybe she was just tired?_

“Hey Lila,” Alya said, beginning to stand to greet their other friend. Marinette grunted and readjusted her head’s position in Alya’s lap. “Sorry about that, girl.” Alya giggled as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. 

“What’s up, dude,” Nino said. He stood from where he’d been sitting next to Alya to give his best friend a handshake, which drew a whine from his girlfriend at the absence of his warmth. “How was it?”

After completing his (extensively long) handshake with Nino, Adrien groaned at the question and dragged a hand down his face before bringing it to the back of his neck.

“Fine, I guess. The designer scared the hell out of me, and I’m pretty sure waking kids up at four am to take pictures has gotta be illegal somewhere in the world, but I guess it wasn’t that bad.” He smirked and gently nudged Lila with his elbow. “Didn’t hurt that Lila was there with me, though.”

Lila flinched at the contact, almost spilling the contents of her cup. Nino and Marinette shared a confused glance. “O-oh, yeah. I’m modeling now.”

Marinette silently congratulated herself in her head for being the first to figure that out at the same time Alya said: “You’re kidding.”

“Nope,” Lila beamed before seeming to shrink into herself. “Sorry I didn’t tell you all. I was hired on such short notice and they made me promise not to mention it until after the shoot was finished. I swear, I would’ve-”

“Chill out girl,” Alya interrupted, rolling her eyes. “You sound like Marinette.” At that, Marinette paused from her sketching to give her friend an elbow to the shin.

“Ow!” Alya rubbed the wounded area before mumbling under her breath. “Asshole.”

Marinette smirked and stuck her tongue out at Alya before smiling up at Lila. “Seriously though,” she said. “We’re happy for you Lila. Tell us all about it later?”

“Of course!”

Nino grinned devilishly and Marinette was worried at whatever was going to come out of his mouth next. Luckily, the bell rang-- leaving Adrien as the unlucky candidate chosen to hear the cursed sentence that was sure to come out of Nino’s mouth. 

Due to the noise of the surrounding students and her trying to put everything away, Marinette heard nothing save a scandalized “Ni-no!” from Adrien as he tossed his cup in the garbage can by the school doors. 

She snickered at his reaction while Alya jogged ahead. With the three of them in front, Marinette and Lila lagged behind.

Lila was the one to break the silence. “So, you all asked me about the shoot earlier,” her shoulders were hunched as she clutched the cup in her hands. 

“How was it?” Marinette asked.

“Fine,” Lila said. 

Marinette raised an eyebrow. “Just ‘fine’?” She was skeptical. “Nothing else to say? Nothing about the outfits, or where they held the shoot, or maybe even how Adrien is behind the camera?”

Lila tensed at the last question. 

“Lila," Marinette gently grabbed her elbow, forcing Lila to stop next to her. "Anything you wanna tell me?"

She looked ahead at the three in front with a small smile. Alya, Nino, and Adrien were all laughing and joking as they walked ahead to class.

Adrien methodically adjusted his backpack before taking it off altogether. “I’ll be okay,” Lila finally answered. “Everyone makes mistakes. He’ll grow out of his phase.”

At the second warning bell, Lila jogged ahead and catch up with the rest, leaving Marinette alone with her thoughts. Making sure there was no one else in the courtyard, she sat down on the bottom step. 

“What does that even mean?” She said aloud. 

“I’m not sure,” came Tikki’s voice from her purse. She flew out and landed on her Chosen’s knee. “What do you think it means?”

Marinette sighed. “I don’t know, Tikki. But the look on Lila’s face from earlier didn’t make sense. Plus, they were together for at least four hours-- we have no idea what happened.”

The kwami glared at her holder from where she sat. “They were together at a photo shoot. A place where you have almost everyone’s attention. What could have--”

“Tikki?” Marinette questioned. Tikki's abnormally rigid state didn't help her uneasiness. “Tikki what’s wrong?”

“Marinette,” said her kwami. “Get to class. Now.” 

“But what about--”

“Now!” Tikki said with an intensity Marinette had never seen before. She stuttered an okay before gently placing Tikki back in her purse and making her way to class just as the third and final bell rang out. 

*********

Although class should have started a while ago, Mme. Buster was nowhere to be found, leaving the class to do as they pleased. Nino was laughing with Mylene and Ivan at something on his phone from his spot in the back, while Alix and Kim were arguing once again about something. Marinette felt bad for Max, who had been dragged into their latest debate. Rose sweetly smiled down on who Marinette assumed was a sleeping Juleka in her lap while Nathaniel sketched the two. Chloe showed off her newest diamond bracelet to Sabrina, who oohed and ahhed as instructed. 

Marinette sat next to Alya and retrieved her sketchbook from her bookbag, losing herself in her designs once more. She watched as her hands so clearly articulated her ideas all on their own, each stroke of the pencil putting together another piece of her puzzle. Marinette did her best to ignore her best friend beside her, who had been too wrapped up in their conversation to notice her arrival. Along with not being in the mood for conversation, Marinette wasn’t sure about having to talk to Adrien for an extended period of time.

There had been countless times where she had endured awkwardly annoying partner projects, glared at him (and most often Alya later) whenever their friends had tried to force her to like him, or done her best to avoid spending one-on-one time with him. 

There had been several instances in which Marinette had narrowly avoided going to his house. No amount of Alya promising an Ultimate Mecha Strike three tournament-- which she would’ve _destroyed_ everyone else in-- could convince her to make the trip. 

It had been two years since the two had first met. Two years since the unfortunate gum incident that had caused Marinette’s aversion to the model. She knew her dislike for him was unfounded, but Marinette liked to think she hid it well enough. 

Then again, was it really all that unjustified? While he’d never done anything suspicious, Marinette couldn’t help but see something that scared, attracted, and worried her all at the same time. 

In all honesty, she wasn’t sure dislike was even the proper word for how she felt about him. She didn’t hate him by any means. He was smart and goofy. Charming, but not stuck up (as she had once believed). Kind, down to earth, and personable.

And Marinette wasn’t afraid to admit that he was good-looking. 

Maybe it was the golden smile that could have blinded gods, or the flawless tanned skin, or the silky hair that looked like it felt softer than the rarest wool, or maybe even the way his vibrant green eyes shone every time he was happy.

But that wasn’t the point. The point was that something about him was different from the others and that something had nagged at her since freshman year. Perhaps Marinette didn’t hate Adrien. But she didn’t trust him either-- not how she’d trusted Chat Noir when they first met. 

_What am I even saying?_ She thought to herself. _This is ridiculous._ And maybe it was. Maybe not wanting to be around someone just because of a hunch wasn’t normal. Alya had definitely made that clear over the years. 

Marinette had always trusted her gut. But maybe, just this once, she was wrong. 

So, to avoid having to interact with anyone while these thoughts raced through her mind, Marinette kept quiet, hoping to make it until Mme. Bustier walked through the door. 

Of course, Adrien had other plans.

“What about you, Marinette?” Came a voice from directly in front of her.

She jumped at the sound of his voice, registering after a few moments that Adrien had been the one talking to her. “I- huh? What?” 

He snickered slightly before repeating his question. “We were talking about the worst possible akuma Hawkmoth could come up with.”

She sat there, dumbfounded. “Why are you-”

“I think it would be an akuma that causes you to lose all faith and trust in people,” Alya said. Her gaze was elsewhere and her eyes seemed glazed over. “Something like Dark Cupid, but more scathing, in a way.”

Then Lila spoke up. “I’d have to say someone that entirely prevents you from telling any form of a lie-- they’d only be able to ever tell the truth.”

“That’s pretty comic book-like though, don’t you think?” Adrien said. “That’s the worst you’ve got?”

“To be fair, I doubt you’d enjoy somebody telling you how much they hated you.”

“Touche,” he hummed. “But I still don’t think that’s the worst possibility.”

“Well since you’re so smart what did you have in mind?” Lila crossed her arms defensively, sounding a little angrier than she should have.

He opened his mouth to speak, only for Mme. Bustier to finally enter the room.

*********

Adrien clutched his head and groaned over his opened history book. “I think my head is gonna explode.”

Alya pointed to the garbage can in the corner of the library. “Trash is over there. Try not to miss.”

“You know,” Nino said, “I read somewhere that if a student dies during exams, the whole grade gets to skip. So… who’s taking one for the team?”

Four hands went up simultaneously. “Great.” 

Marinette took another swig of her third cup of coffee. “Does anybody know who came up with this whole ‘exams’ thing? I just wanna talk… with a baseball bat… and a very private hole…”

She noticed Alya and Adrien look at each other out of the corner of her eye in silent conversation. Eventually nodding at Adrien, Alya reached for the cup with lighting speed, only for Marinette to snatch it away and chug the last of the scorching drink, staring her best friend in the eye the entire time. 

Marinette slammed the cup down. “Problem?”

“Nette,” Nino raised his hands in defense. Seeing Lila’s wide eyes, Marinette chucked. “You’re scary when you’re pissed, and I’m more than sure that the rest of us would prefer to make it through this study session without losing her heads.”

“Yeah, I know," she sighed. "Sorry.” 

“It’s all good, girl.” Alya shrugged.

Lila sighed. “Honestly, I’m sure all of us could use a break at this point.”

Adrien shot up out of his seat. “I’ll be right back,” he said eagerly.

Marinette stared at where he ran off to behind several bookshelves. “What’s his deal?”

“I like to call it Model Syndrome,” Nino joked. “I have a theory that he just kinda randomly goes and poses for a while then comes back as if nothing happened.”

“You know what,” Alya said while rubbing the bridge of her nose. “That would be a perfect explanation if it weren’t for the fact that Marinette, who is not a model, does the exact same thing.”

“I do not!” She felt Lila eyeing her from her left. 

“You so do,” Alya retorted.

“Name one time.”

She began counting on her fingers. “The time you left me with Manon--”

“I had to tell my parents something in the bakery!”

“The time you--"

Adrien came running back to the table. “Everybody put your stuff away and come on!” He was loud, which earned him a displeased look from the librarian. “Sorry,” he said, slightly quieter.

“So,” Alya drawled. “You plan on explaining why you’re yelling for us to put everything away, or?”

“Oh, right,” he said. “Sorry. I just called Nathalie and asked if we could all hang out at my place for a bit since we’ve been studying since school let out. She said it’s fine as long as your parents say yes and you’re all gone by ten-thirty.”

Nino checked his watch. “A little over four hours playing games and eating.” He shrugged. “I’m down if everyone else is.”

“Sounds great,” Alya said. “Any longer staring at these books and I’m pretty sure my brain was going to start oozing out of my ears.”

Adrien snickered. “Trashcan is over there.”

He ignored the sour look Alya shot his way. “What about you Lila?” 

Her eyes widened. “Oh.” Her voice sounded small once again. “I don’t mind. As long as Marinette’s going.”

While Marinette looked at Lila, she felt Adrien’s gaze on her.

Marinette froze in her seat. “Uhm, I just- I should probably check with my parents. You know, to make sure they don’t need me in the bakery or anything.”

“Okay,” he said cheerily. “We’ll wait.”

She heard Alya laugh while she grabbed her jacket and phone to take the call outside. Muttering under her breath, Marinette marched into the crisp cold. “Ever the thoughtful one, aren’t you Agreste?” 

*********

“Maman, are you sure? I know you like to take care of things alone but, really, if you need me to help I don’t mind coming.”

“Everything’s fine over here, sweetie.” Sabine’s voice sounded muffled through the phone. “But you’re welcome to come home whenever you like-- you do live here.”

“Do you think could come up with some excuse as to why I can’t go to Adrien’s house with everyone else?” The line when silent for a moment. “Maman?” 

“Stay as long as you want, honey.” Marinette could have sworn she heard a snicker from the other end. “Call us when you’re on your way home.”

The line went dead, and at that moment Marinette wondered just how everyone happened to be against her at that moment. 

“Guess I’m sucking it up then,” she said to herself. “Can’t be that bad.”

Just as she turned to go back into the library, Marinette felt a gust of wind nearly knock her off her feet. 

She paused momentarily to realize there was no breeze at all. Perhaps someone ran past her? Looking both ways and the lack of footsteps proved her wrong, but then the breeze returned. 

“Is someone there?” she called out. “Alya? Tikki?” 

There was no response, but the gust of wind grew stronger. Picking her up until she could no longer feel her feet touching the ground. Her hair whipped around her face, and despite the streetlights and the warm glow coming from the windows of the library, everything turned black. 

A burning sensation scorched her skin and she screamed louder than she ever thought she could. All air had been sucked out of her lungs and Marinette clawed at her throat in desperation. 

“H-help. Me.” She attempted to bring back the strength from earlier, but it seemed that all of it had left her. Her throat was hoarse and she had no hope of being heard above the deafening whirring and whipping of wind.

Well, that and the screams. 

Her lidded eyes opened momentarily to see a pair just like her own-- no. They were a hellish red, growing wider until she was surrounded by them. She struggled to keep her eyes open but saw something that had haunted her dreams for years.

Up until that day, which had seemed like decades ago, Marinette believed that seeing her beloved partner turn unrecognizable and destroy the planet would be the worst thing she would ever have to endure. 

Naturally, she could never be right for long. 

The night that the Alchemist arose, the duo had seen much more than rebellion. Flames ravaged the city and licked at the stars, never ceasing or dying down. Their countless attempts to rescue civilians could only do so much, which resulted in the young heroes seeing more than they had ever bargained for. 

Thus, Marinette watched helplessly as she relived her nightmare. Having to witness once again the burning citizens and the charred bodies in the aftermath. She stared into the eyes of those she had failed, the wailing of those lost that night echoed through her skull. Never in her life had she thought the name ‘Ladybug’ could be used as a curse.

She screamed in protest once again, begging the invisible force to release her before some hard object struck the back of her head. Marinette groaned but managed to stay awake long enough to notice Adrien looking curiously out the window, most likely searching for her. 

"Please," she croaked. "Help."

And then she fell to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp... that happened. And to think, she still has to go to Adrien's house after all that.
> 
> Say hey on [Tumblr!](https://leemotionalwreck.tumblr.com/)


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